Tantrika Female Deity

As Tantra’s primary focus has been on the unity of male and female principles with Shiva and Shakti as their proto models, the Tantra-sadhaka innovated hundreds of female deity-forms that in his sadhana served as the female counterparts for his male energies. In many of these manifestations female principle is the very basis of sadhana and it is in her that the creative evolution takes place and enables the Tantrika attain his objective. This deity form is, however, quite unusual. On its head enshrines a form of Shiva with a bold icon of Ganga in his coiffure. This is obviously a Tantrika innovation with Ganga and the female deity itself representing Shakti and thus Shiva’s counter female energy. But, as prominently the deity has in the centre of her breasts another male deity form. As suggests inscription on top of the folio, it could be the image of Mercury, planet of creativity, imagination, intellectual pursuits.